The superintendent search officially launched on Wednesday, January 24, at 7:00 p.m., when a group of sixty staff members and stakeholders from departments across the district convened in the James Dillard Room at Harvey High School. After extensively reviewing the qualifications of nineteen highly qualified candidates, we are pleased to announce that Dr. Josh Englehart has been appointed as the next Superintendent of Painesville City Local Schools! When the superintendent search focus groups were held in late January, you could feel the positive energy in the room! Using feedback from staff that evening, revisions were made to the job description to incorporate these four common threads: experience with a diverse population; understanding the culture of poverty; promotion of school safety through a partnership with local law enforcement; and a plan for sharing the multitude of student accomplishments with the community.
“We know that the positive strides in the past five years are a direct result of the dedication, hard work, and compassion on the part of our staff, who are on the front line every day with our students! Dr. Englehart's leadership has been an integral factor in that progress. We believe that he is best suited to continue to move our district forward.” - Kathleen Powers-Dolney, Board President
Dr. Englehart is in his fifth year with Painesville City Schools, serving as Assistant Superintendent prior to this new appointment. Prior to working in Painesville City, he served as a principal with Warren City Schools and as a school improvement consultant with the Ohio Department of Education, after a ten-year career as a teacher and coach. In addition to his Bachelor's degree in education, Dr. Englehart has earned a Master's degree in Curriculum and Instruction, an Educational Specialist degree in Educational Administration, and his PhD. in Urban Education. He has been very active in the field of educational research, having presented at various statewide educational conferences, and having been published ten times in professional journals and books.
Dr. Englehart has lived in Painesville City for 19 years, and his three children have always attended school in PCLS. “Having lived in Painesville City for nearly twenty years, this is where my family has chosen to put down our roots. We love living here and value this community. My wife and I chose to send our kids to Painesville City Schools long before I became employed here, as we recognize the quality of educators and abundance of opportunity they provide, as well as a richness of diversity unlike that of any other place. I've been fortunate to have been part of the Painesville City team for five years. This is an exceptionally dedicated and talented staff. Together we have taken large strides in terms of curriculum development, operational efficiency, and positive school climate, and I look forward to many more years of doing this work together.” – Dr. Josh Englehart, Newly Appointed Superintendent